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Elsevier

Books in Crop ecology

  • Advancing Sustainable Agriculture Through Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

    • 1st Edition
    • Allah Ditta + 2 more
    • English
    Advancing Sustainable Agriculture Through Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi provides a comprehensive view of AMF-focused approaches that support biodiversity, ecosystem services, and soil health. The book addresses the topic from the basis of symbiosis to the latest research and future directions of AMF use in agriculture. It provides a thorough overview of the role that AM fungi play in promoting agricultural sustainability and synthesizes current knowledge on the biology, ecology, and applications of AM fungi in sustainable agriculture, highlighting best practices for promoting AM fungi in agricultural ecosystems, such as crop selection, soil management, and fertilizer use. In addition, the book identifies research gaps and priorities for the advancement of the understanding of AM fungi in sustainable agriculture. Among the major issues confronting agriculture are soil erosion, water shortages, climate change, and dwindling biodiversity. In response to these issues, the need for sustainable farming methods that support ecosystem services, biodiversity, and soil health is rising. As the soil microbiome is largely composed of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, which are essential for preserving soil health and encouraging plant development, this book is a welcomed resource.

  • Agroforestry Solutions for Soil Restoration and Sustainable Land Management

    • 1st Edition
    • Ram Prakesh Yadav + 3 more
    • English
    Agroforestry Solutions for Soil Restoration and Sustainable Land Management, a volume in the Agricultural Soil Degradation and Restoration series, offers a rigorous, cross-disciplinary assessment of tree–crop integration as a driver of resilient landscapes and livelihoods around the world. Rooted in edaphic science, agroecology, and development studies, it analyzes contemporary pressures, evaluates viable interventions, and maps forward-looking research avenues. By blending empirical evidence with policy considerations, it demonstrates how diversified, multi-species systems enhance nutrient balance, water regulation, carbon dynamics, and biodiversity, while supporting stable incomes and high-quality food.This essential resource for researchers, educators, and practitioners covers design principles, deployment pathways, governance, extension strategies, and economic analysis, complemented by real-world case studies. Readers will find robust study designs, interoperable data assets, and reproducible workflows that enable scalable decision-making and monitoring. The narrative emphasizes UNCCD targets and climate-smart land use, with clear implications for sustainable intensification and ecosystem stewardship.

  • Melatonin in Horticultural Plants

    A Multifunctional Molecule for Abiotic Stress Tolerance
    • 1st Edition
    • Muhammad Ahsan Altaf + 3 more
    • English
    Melatonin in Horticultural Plants: A Multifunctional Molecule for Abiotic Stress Tolerance consolidates insights from leading experts on the morphological, physiological, and biochemical processes triggered by the application of melatonin, ultimately resulting in enhanced crop tolerance to abiotic stresses.This book provides an in-depth analysis of various abiotic stressors affecting horticultural crops, detailing how they impact plant growth and development, from seedling establishment to senescence, as well as their influence on yield and quality. It explores how melatonin regulates these responses through chemical signaling and highlights its role in coordinating signal transduction pathways at physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels, offering a comprehensive understanding of its potential in agriculture.Beyond its theoretical foundations, the volume considers how these findings can be translated into real-world strategies. This includes practical approaches such as the use of biostimulants, hormones, novel chemicals, and microorganisms to effectively harness melatonin’s benefits in horticultural production. Designed to support researchers, plant biologists, and horticulturists, it aims to foster innovation and facilitate sustainable advancements in horticultural science, contributing to the development of resilient crops capable of thriving despite changing climate conditions and disruptive anthropogenic activities.

  • Climate Change and Agricultural Ecosystems

    Current Challenges and Adaptation
    • 2nd Edition
    • Olubukola Oluranti Babalola + 3 more
    • English
    Fully revised to include the latest scientific developments, Climate Change and Agricultural Ecosystems: Current Challenges and Adaptation, Second Edition continues to provide vital insights into the complex and dynamic relationship between climate, agriculture, soil and plants. Building on its proven value in guiding real-world application as well as inspiring further research, this new edition includes new insights and practices. Agricultural ecosystems are highly dependent on weather and climate for the production of necessary foods to sustain human life. Despite leading cutting-edge tools and technologies for developing improved varieties, genetically modified organisms, and irrigation systems, climate change is still a major constraint to agricultural productivity. It takes years to assess the impacts of climate change and vulnerability to it and to prepare proper countermeasures against it. Developing countermeasures drawn based on scientific diagnosis and assessment of the impacts of climate change on agriculture are essential in establishing the vision and administrative policies of future agriculture. Climate Change and Agricultural Ecosystems focuses on recent research and updates on interactions between agriculture, ecosystems, environment, and climate change bringing together ideas and innovations of the latest scientific findings on climate change and enriched by renowned researchers knowledge and experience in this field. It reflects the importance of acting now on climate change: to eliminate hunger; to enable the agriculture sectors to adapt to climate change.

  • Rhizomicrobiome in Sustainable Agriculture and Environment

    • 1st Edition
    • Joginder Singh Panwar + 1 more
    • English
    Rhizomicrobiome in Sustainable Agriculture and Environment explores the important potential of biocontrol agents in the reduction of overexploitation of synthetic pesticides, enhancing crop production, and maintaining the natural texture and health of agricultural soils. As concerns about sustainable production challenge current practices, this book presents opportunities for utilizing biological systems as part of the solution. Written by a team of global experts, sections explore the full range of rhizomicrobiome topics, including sustainable agriculture, food security, and environmental management. This will be a valuable resource for researchers, academics, and advanced students.Rhizomicrob... is a significant part of plant biological system which impacts the plant growth and survival in different physiological conditions. Its composition includes different microbial networks whose presence is mainly impacted by the root exudates. Archaea, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, oomycetes, nematodes, microarthropods etc. are the significant parts of the rhizomicrobiome. Rhizomicrobiome could be that novel ecosystem housing the bioinoculants that can help create sustainable, productive growth environments.

  • Waste Management for Sustainable and Restored Agricultural Soil

    • 1st Edition
    • Vijay Singh Meena + 6 more
    • English
    Waste Management for Sustainable and Restored Agricultural Soil provides a holistic approach to various mechanisms of waste management for plant nutrients, highlighting the importance of improving plant growth, nutrient concentration, and system sustainability for enhancing crop production and achieving desired environmental goals. Covering a broad overview of different kinds of wastes and waste recycling methods and sustainable management for soil health, this book focuses on both basic and applied aspects of waste management for sustainable agriculture and how nutrients are made available through waste. Academics, professionals, researchers and policymakers working in the fields of safe waste management for potential use in agricultural crop production will benefit from this book.

  • Development and Commercialization of Biopesticides

    Costs and Benefits
    • 1st Edition
    • Opender Koul
    • English
    Development and Commercialization of Biopesticides: Costs and Benefits provides a uniquely comprehensive view of the commercial production of biopesticides, from research to application, featuring case studies in various developed and developing countries of the world. The book offers guidance for future strategies to researchers, along with considerations for the industry’s economic concerns, i.e., costs and benefits compared to conventional pesticides, future perspectives for application strategies, bioavailability and environmental safety, and impacts on intellectual property issues during commercialization. Finally, the book covers why the development of this industry must be strategic, comprehensive and forward-looking in order to be an accepted, safe and sustainable. There is no doubt that biopesticides are now in large-scale use, and a variety of novel techniques have been used to improve or modify existing biopesticides, which will further accelerate their development.

  • Applications of Biosurfactant in Agriculture

    • 1st Edition
    • Inamuddin + 1 more
    • English
    Applications of Biosurfactant in Agriculture explores the use of beneficial microorganisms as an alternative to current synthetic plant protection strategies. The book highlights a range of renewable raw substrates including agro-industrial waste as a dependable and cost-effective technology for the mass production of biosurfactant, emphasizes the formulation of biosurfactants using a full-factorial design, scientometric assessment, and presents mathematical modeling for the enhancement of production processes. Recent biotechnological techniques such as functional metagenomics that could help in the molecular characterization of novel biosurfactant with multifunctional activities majorly from uncultured and unexploited microbes available in the soil biosphere are also explored.This book identifies possible modes of action by which nutrients are normally released to plants through the formation of metal-biosurfactant complexes and presents recent research findings on the utilization of biosurfactants for the management of mycotoxins and microorganisms when evaluated in the field and in greenhouses. Finally, the book emphasizes the application of biosurfactants as a form of potent antibiotics for the management of several zoonotic diseases and in animal husbandry.

  • Advances in Legumes for Sustainable Intensification

    • 1st Edition
    • Ram Swaroop Meena + 1 more
    • English
    Advances in Legume-based Agroecoystem for Sustainable Intensification explores current research and future strategies for ensuring capacity growth and socioeconomic improvement through the utilization of legume crop cultivation and production in the achievement of sustainability development goals (SDGs). Sections cover the role of legumes in addressing issues of food security, improving nitrogen in the environment, environmental sustainability, economic-environment... optimized systems, the importance and impact of nitrogen, organic production, and biomass potential, legume production, biology, breeding improvement, cropping systems, and the use of legumes for eco-friendly weed management. This book is an important resource for scientists, researchers and advanced students interested in championing the effective utilization of legumes for agronomic and ecological benefit.

  • Changing Climate and Resource use Efficiency in Plants

    • 1st Edition
    • Amitav Bhattacharya
    • English
    Changing Climate and Resource Use Efficiency in Plants reviews the efficiencies for resource use by crop plants under different climatic conditions. This book focuses on the challenges and potential remediation methods for a variety of resource factors. Chapters deal with the effects of different climatic conditions on agriculture, radiation use efficiency under various climatic conditions, the efficiency of water and its impact on harvest production under restricted soil moisture conditions, nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency in different environmental conditions under the influence of climate change, and various aspects of improving phosphorus use efficiency. The book provides guidance for researchers engaged in plant science studies, particularly Plant/Crop Physiology, Agronomy, Plant Breeding and Molecular Breeding. In addition, it provides valuable insights for policymakers, administrators, plant-based companies and agribusiness companies.

  • Non-Chemical Weed Control

    • 1st Edition
    • Khawar Jabran + 1 more
    • English
    Non-Chemical Weed Control is the first book to present an overview of plant crop protection against non-food plants using non-chemical means. Plants growing wild—particularly unwanted plants found in cultivated ground to the exclusion of the desired crop—have been treated with herbicides and chemical treatments in the past. As concern over environmental, food and consumer safety increases, research has turned to alternatives, including the use of cover crops, thermal treatments and biotechnology to reduce and eliminate unwanted plants. This book provides insight into existing and emerging alternative crop protection methods and includes lessons learned from past methodologies. As crop production resources decline while consumer concerns over safety increase, the effective control of weeds is imperative to insure the maximum possible levels of soil, sunlight and nutrients reach the crop plants.

  • Agriculture and the Environment

    Papers presented at the International Conference, 10-13 November 1991
    • 1st Edition
    • C.A. Edwards + 3 more
    • English
    Until the 1980s, global increases in food production exceeded the concomitant growth of human populations. However, progressively agriculture is becoming unable to meet the world-wide per capita needs for food. Unless there is major international cooperation in addressing the problems associated with population control, it is predicted that the global human population will reach more than 14 billion by the year 2050, with provision of adequate food, fuel and space for such an increased population unachievable.These problems are accentuated by factors such as world-wide reductions in soil fertility, the accelerating degradation of land that is suitable for food production through soil erosion, the world-wide trend for migration of human populations from rural habitats to cities and extremely rapid rates of global deforestation.Possib... solutions to global sustainability in agriculture and natural resources must involve an integration of ecological, sociological, cultural, and economic considerations, as well as mandated international and national policies. This publication outlines these problems and attempts to seek solutions.

  • Windbreak Technology

    • 1st Edition
    • J.R. Brandle + 2 more
    • English
    This book contains a selection of papers presented at the first International Symposium on Windbreak Technology, summarising the available worldwide literature on windbreaks and the response, both positive and negative, to wind protection. State-of-the-art information is presented on general design criteria, and principles of planting and establishment for a wide range of conditions and objectives. It provides descriptive information of tree and shrub species for arid, semi-arid, temperate and tropical areas, and their use in windbreaks.

  • Agricultural Ecology and Environment

    • 1st Edition
    • B.R. Stinner + 2 more
    • English
    The increased use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in crop production has adversely affected both the environment and the agricultural economy. Not only has it led to environmental pollution, but also the increasing costs of chemical inputs and the low prices received for agricultural products have contributed to economic unprofitability and instability.The International Symposium on Agricultural Ecology and Environment was organised in order to discuss ways of achieving the goals of economically and environmentally sustainable agriculture. It is apparent that a truly multidisciplinary effort is required and for this reason the meeting was attended by authors from many different disciplines and geographical locations. Although their papers reflect a wide diversity of agroecosystem types and examples, several common themes emerge: the increased importance of biotic control of ecosystem processes in lower input systems; the key role of soil organic matter in stabilizing nutrient cycling; the importance of agricultural landscape diversity and complexity; the importance of studying ecological processes in natural and agricultural ecosystems; the critical need to integrate socio-economic and ecological approaches.

  • Biotic Diversity in Agroecosystems

    • 1st Edition
    • D. Pimentel + 1 more
    • English
    The preservation of biodiversity is a high priority among biologists, ecologists and environmentalists. The impact that human activities have on biodiversity is clear; however, few studies have focused on the importance of biodiversity to natural and agricultural ecosystems. In fact, many natural species are essential to sustainable agricultural programs. A new school of thought is appreciating the ecological principles and benefits that diversity of natural biota have for humans and the environment. Landscape ecology and agroecology can play a major role in protecting the environment and conserving biological diversity. The practical opportunities for improving the sustainability of agriculture and making it more environmentally sound were discussed at the Symposium on Agroecology and Conservation Issues, from which 22 papers were collected for this volume. Strategies for increasing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes are provided alongside discussion that agriculture will continue to spread into forests, to meet the growing need for food. Although humans recognize the value of crop and livestock species, few really appreciate the fact that agriculture and forestry cannot function in a productive sustainable way when significant numbers of species in natural biota are lost.

  • Ecology in Agriculture

    • 1st Edition
    • Louise E. Jackson
    • English
    Agricultural crops are prominent features of an increasing number of variously perturbed ecosystems and the landscapes occupied by these ecosystems. Yet the ecology of agricultural-dominat... landscapes is only now receiving the scientific attention it has long deserved. This attention has been stimulated by the realization that all agriculture must become sustainable year after year while leaving nearby ecosystems unaffected. Ecology in Agriculture focuses exclusively on the ecology of agricultural ecosystems. The book is divided into four major sections. An introduction establishes the unique ties between agricultural and ecological sciences. The second section describes the community ecology of these sorts of ecosystems, while the final section focuses on the processes that operate throughout these agricultural landscapes.